[C320-list] C320-list Digest, Vol 1078, Issue 1

[Alan Goodman]

Annie - I think Brad's procedure is fine, and there are also other acceptable sequences you could use to turn on the power.  I think the most important item is any of the procedures is to always have both the shore power pedestal and the boat's circuit breaker in the lazerette behind the boat's stern shore power recepticle off when connecting both ends of the shore power cord.  This is critical to prevent and possibility of electrical arcing between the shore power pedestal and the power cord plug and/or between the power cord plug and the boat recepticle.  Arcing in either location can (i) allow a person to receive an electrical shock and (ii) more likely, but less danagerous, damage either or both the shore power cable plugs, the prongs in the boat receptcal, or the shore power pedestal recipticle. Once I have completed the foregoing, I turn on the pedstal on the dock, then the breaker in the lazerette, and then work 'down stream' through my 120/12 volt panel at the nav station.  Disconnect from shore power in the exact opposite order.  Alan  hull #67 Holland MI
> 
> > 
> Message: 7
> Date: Sat, 9 Apr 2011 21:02:26 -0400
> From: "Brad Kuether" <bkuether at comcast.net>
> To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Question re Battery Charger
> Message-ID: <0F9E1B7514DB44AAA54350AD5005BE69 at BradPC>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> Typically I try to do the following.
> 
>   1.. Shore power switch off, battery charger switch off, outlets off.
>   2.. Plug up the boat
>   3.. Turn on the power at the dock.
>   4.. Turn on the shore power switch.
>   5.. Turn on the outlets.
>   6.. Check the polarity
>   7.. Turn on the battery charger.
> The way I kinda see it, I don't want an electrical "surge" to go all the way through the system.
> 
> It may be superstitious but thats the way I like to do it.
> 
> -Brad, Mary, Monica, and Jarod
> "Independence"
> 2004 Catalina 320 Hull 1006
> Middle River, MD   
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Annie Bennett" <annie at sydneyprivatesailing.com.au>
> To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
> Sent: Saturday, April 09, 2011 8:36 PM
> Subject: [C320-list] Question re Battery Charger
> 
> 
> Topcat is going up on the slips early tomorrow morning for her annual anti-fouling.  A mechanic is coming down later in the day to check her cutlas bearing (not quite sure what he does to check it?) and to do a load test on the batteries.  The batteries are 5 years old but appear to be still going strong at the moment.
> 
> The mechanic asked me to plug in the shore power when she goes up on the slips so that when he goes there to test, the batteries will be fully charged.
> 
> Topcat lives on a mooring so I'm not that familiar with the shore power.  (I'm going to the boat this afternoon to make sure the sea cocks are turned off under the sink.  I usually leave these ones open but learnt a lesson a few years ago when the ceiling of the boat above the galley sink was splattered with anti-foul because I hadn't closed the seacock!)
> 
> My question is, should I turn the battery charger switch on the panel down below on so I can leave the shore power cable in the cockpit for the marina staff to plug in or should I ask them to go below and turn the panel switch on after they've plugged in the shore power.  Does it matter?
> 
> Many thanks
> Annie Bennett
> Topcat III  #1073
> 
>